


Meeting Up

by leodis57



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 08:23:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leodis57/pseuds/leodis57
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rafa and Roger meet up at Indian Wells following Rafa’s long absence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meeting Up

Meeting Up

Rafa was excited. Here he was at Indian Wells, back in the thick of things again. It seemed an age since he had last played in a prestigious tournament alongside the world’s best players, and he hadn’t realised until now how much he missed this life. It wasn’t just the tennis, it was the atmosphere, the buzz, the camaraderie, the support from the crowd; all parts that made a whole. As he walked out onto the practice courts, he hummed a little to himself; he had a plan and it concerned Roger Federer.

Roger was busy signing autographs after his practice session. He smiled politely as he did his duty but his mind was elsewhere. He knew that Rafa had arrived in Indian Wells as he had received a text from him earlier in the day; the enigmatic “see you soon” niggled away at the back of his mind.

It amused Rafa to approach Roger while he was occupied and looking in the other direction. A grin spread across his face as he placed his hand on Roger’s shoulder. Startled, Roger looked round to face a beaming Rafa.

“My God, Rafa – hello!” said Roger, his voice a mixture of surprise and happiness.

“Hello Roger, good to see you.” The formal words of greeting were belied by the warmth of his tone and the shine in his eyes.

As he touched Rafa lightly on the chest, Roger turned towards him so that their faces were close – as close as they could be without arousing comment.

“I’ve missed you so much, you know.” Roger’s voice was little more than a whisper.

“Me too, Rogi” replied Rafa in a low voice, conscious of the listening crowd.

“When can we meet?”

“I send you text after practice”.

“Great to see you again – welcome back!” said Roger loud enough to be overheard. “We must catch up.”

“Yes, soon.” answered Rafa, looking meaningfully at Roger.

Full of anticipation, both men smiled to themselves as they parted.

 

********

 

A couple of hours later Roger rapped on Rafa’s hotel room door. Now that the time had come for them to meet properly, Roger felt slightly nervous. Would there be awkwardness between them after all this time? What if time had erased some of that easy familiarity? Roger had changed his clothes three times before coming, finally settling on jeans and a red T shirt. It was not like him to be so indecisive.

Rafa opened the door and stood back to let Roger come in. He was smiling but there was hesitancy there too and Roger surmised that Rafa had the same concerns as he had. Unusually for Rafa, he was wearing jeans too and a loose fitting checked shirt – he had obviously made an effort.

“Well …” said Rafa, his earlier confidence in front of the crowd had deserted him and he was hoping from one foot to another, his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“Well” replied Roger with a wry smile “here we are.” He folded Rafa in his arms and kissed his forehead. “That will do for a start.”

They both laughed and the ice was broken.

Rafa gestured to Roger to sit down and then offered him a drink.

“Mineral water will be fine.” said Roger as he perched on the edge of one of the chairs.

“Mineral water.” repeated Rafa as he retrieved a bottle from the fridge along with a can of Coke for himself.

“So, where is everyone – Toni, your team?” said Roger gazing around Rafa’s suite as If he expected them to appear from some hidden corner.

“Oh, I get rid of them.” Rafa giggled. “I tell them I want to have private conversation with you.”

Roger looked a little alarmed. “Really? What did Toni say to that?”

Rafa shrugged. “Nothing. He knows not to argue with me about you. I am stubborn.”

“Ah!” This is true, thought Roger. He had discovered how determined Rafa could be when he wanted something.

“And you? You have told Mirka that you come to see me?”

“Yes, she knows. She told me to “go and see Rafa and give him my best wishes”.

“That is good, no? She is nice, I like her a lot.”

“Oh the twins wanted me to say a special hello to uncle Rafa from them.””

A broad grin spread across Rafa’s face. He loved children. “Oh I have gifts for them – un momento”.

Rafa disappeared and came back with two beautifully wrapped parcels, the girls’ names written on the tags in Rafa’s handwriting. He sat down and patted the sofa. Roger moved to sit next to him, their legs touching.

Accepting them, Roger was moved that Rafa had thought to get gifts for the twins. “That is very kind of you, Rafa. I’m sure they will love them.”

“Well, for sure I wanted to do this.” Rafa threaded his fingers through his hair.

For a minute they sat in silence, conscious of their proximity and wondering how to move the conversation on.

“Rafa …”

“Roger …”

They spoke simultaneously and then laughed at their timing.

“Shall I go first?” said Roger with a smile. His arms were clasped cross his knees.

“Please.” His forehead was creased by a frown – what Roger called Rafa’s worried look.

“I’ve been wondering, where do we go from here, Rafa? Can we go back to where things were before – you know – before Wimbledon?” He pushed back an errant strand of hair that had fallen over his eyes.

Rafa looked so crestfallen, Roger cursed himself for not using the right words. He took Rafa’s hands in his and held them there while he attempted to continue.

“I’m putting this badly I know but what I mean is – I think this break has given us both some time to think about what we want. It’s been a long seven months, Raf.”

“Rog, in all this time we have been apart I have thought of you many times each day. Even though I didn’t see you, you were always there in my head – and in my heart.” Rafa pressed his hand to his chest as he said this. He sighed and folded his arms. “I think though that you do not feel the same.”

“Oh, Rafa, I do, I do but … I just thought … I didn’t know how you would feel and wanted to give you the chance … “.

Roger’s words were cut short as Rafa pulled him forward and pressed their lips together.

“You should not have doubted me Rogi.”

“I know, I know but maybe it’s the Swiss in me, playing it cool, head before heart and all that.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“You should always listen to your heart, Rog.”

“Rafa, I want to be with you but let’s not rush things, OK? Let’s enjoy getting to know one another again – see it as a new beginning”.

Rafa thought about this for a second. “I do not understand all this but I will enjoy the getting to know you bit very much.”

As Roger put his arm around him, Rafa leaned back and closed his eyes; Roger noticed the grey shadows cast by his eyelashes. A rush of relief swept through his body – everything was going to be alright; Roger and Rafa together again, as they should be.

 

END


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